


I want to feel the thunder (I want to scream)

by jolybird



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: hp_drizzle, F/M, Frogs, HP Drizzle Fest 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:14:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25925692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jolybird/pseuds/jolybird
Summary: Sometimes things don't need to be said, but they're nice to hear anyway (especially when it stops your boyfriend from turning into a frog every time it rains).
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Lee Jordan/Fred Weasley, Luna Lovegood/George Weasley, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14
Collections: HP Drizzle Fest 2020





	I want to feel the thunder (I want to scream)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you mods for letting me jump in at the last second and write for this fest. I had so much fun with this prompt. Thanks to B for the beta--I can always count on you. ♥
> 
> Title comes from Hilary Duff's _Come Clean_.

The rain fell in cold, heavy droplets around her and Luna didn’t bother pulling up an umbrella or magicking the rain away. The UK was in the midst of a heatwave and the rain on her arms and shoulders felt nice. The cobblestones in Diagon Alley were ancient and uneven, causing rainwater to pool into puddles that some of the witches and wizards hastened to dart around. Luna walked right through them, letting her cheap muggle flip flops splash water everywhere as she went. She had spent the majority of the summer in a little muggle village outside of Reading and it made her stand out a little. Luna didn’t mind much, her short jean skirt and halter top, with the gold circle in the center of her chest, kept her cool. She didn’t bother with spelling a cloak cool like some of the people she passed, bundled up in cloaks and hats and multiple layers. Just looking at them made Luna feel like she was tucked into a phoenix nest. Sometimes people focused on things that were familiar and they shied away from new and the unknown. Even when unknown was a miniskirt. 

Luna turned a corner, heading off the main road and to take a shortcut to the back of the Leaky Cauldron. She had a room on the upper floor next to Hannah who had recently bought the inn, giving the old owner a much deserved retirement. Sometimes Neville came to stay with his girlfriend, or sometimes, his best friend. Luna and Ginny used to rent a flat nearer to the Quibbler’s offices but she and Harry had moved in together after the wedding. The inn was much busier than her old flat but Luna actually preferred the noise and bustle. She enjoyed walking the several blocks to the office every day and basked in the knowledge that their streets were safe again. The buildings that had been damaged in the War were in the process of being rebuilt and soon, by the time Ginny and Harry’s newborn became Hogwarts age, all traces of the war on the city would be gone. Old business would be replaced with new, charred wood would be vanished, paint would proclaim old names under new ownership or new names with fresh determination. The streets were safe and busy, even during a rainstorm. 

Luna paused mid-stride and then took three steps back. She could have sworn—there. Nestled between the flowers in a flowerpot that had been knocked over was a frog. Growing up constantly on the lookout for her best friends toad had left her hyper aware of all things amphibian. He was brown with dark spots on his back with a yellow dorsal stripe. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was a pool frog. And pool frogs were under the protection of the muggle’s Biodiversity Action Plan. It was illegal to sell or trade them so she hoped he hopped here on his own. But he had found temporary shelter and once someone righted the pot, it wouldn’t provide much protection at all. Frowning, Luna crouched down in front of him. 

“Hello,” she said, putting on her sweetest smile, “are you lost?” 

The frog let out a pathetic croak and looked forlorn. Her smile slipped into a frown and she looked around, brushing her wet hair over her shoulder and wiping the rain from her face. No one was paying either of them any mind. 

It was also illegal to move pool frogs but that was a muggle law and the wizarding world wasn’t interested in upholding muggle law, no matter how well-intentioned. There was nothing here for him, only puddles that would dry up with the rain. She held her hands out and with several ungainly hops, it was in her hands. She covered him gentle with her other hand, creating a little cage with her hands so he couldn’t hop into oncoming traffic, and then they were off. The twins’ shop was only just around the corner and they’d let her borrow a box to put him in. If she asked nicely, they might watch him for a minute as she ran out to get him some flies from the menagerie around the corner. 

Luna hurried through the rain, single minded in her focus until the shop came into view. She loved the shopfront. It was bright and exciting—a grown up version of the snack boxes they sold at school. It was a bright orange testament to all the dreams that were realized through hard work, bravery, perseverance and friends. She pushed the door open with her hip—George never checked to make sure the door latched—and stepped in from the rain. 

A breeze cooled her arms and it was very nearly chilly. Looking back to the register, she gave a little huff. Empty. 

“Hello?” she called out, looking around and then up to the second and third floors above her. She enjoyed being in the shop with it’s wide array of products, love potions,itching powders and chocolates that pulled you into your dreams. Frowning, she paused by the pygmy puffs who hummed at her approach. “Hello,” she smiled down at them and they hummed louder and rolled around a bit in greeting. Luna pulled down one of the carry out holders and deposited the frog in it. He looked down at the pink, purple, and blue candy-floss colored creatures and Luna shut the lid before moving it away, just in case it got the wrong idea. 

She looked around the shop. It was noisy not from customers, but from the product displays. Fireworks exploded and portable shooting stars sparkled overhead. Something was bubbling, possibly the love potion stand and every once in a while the mannequin by the skiving snackboxes would vomit. She pushed her wet hair from her face, the shop looked deserted, employees and patrons alike. 

“George?” She called out, frowning again. “Fred?” 

Nothing. 

It was quite peculiar that they would leave the shop unattended. It was getting late in the day and the rain had put a damper on potential customer’s jovial moods but still, it wasn’t like them. Verity, Ivah and Zahra (the shop’s only actual employees—the twins were very good at showing up during the busy seasons with grins and charming pleas for help) were nowhere to be seen either. 

The skiving snackbox mannequin vomited again and she headed into the back. Before she stepped behind the black curtain that led to some of the less-family friendly products, Luna placed a charm on the front door that would alert her the moment it was opened—they would never forgive her if she let a sale slip by. The back room was also empty so she stomped on the floorboard closest to the wall by the shield cloaks and the door to the twin’s flat upstairs popped open. The pair of them thought it was so clever, apparently they also charmed it so that customers couldn’t open it accidentally but Luna never had any problems with it. The frog in the carrying case in her hand ribbitted, sounding a little bit more sure of himself and she headed up stairs. “Hello?” she called again. 

Still nothing. 

She gave the frog a quick tour of the flat, George’s bedroom, Fred’s, the bathroom and then ended up in the kitchen. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. 

This was quite unexpected. 

Luna put the frog down on the counter as she surveyed the twin’s empty flat. She put her hands on her hips when she realized she had effectively broken into her best friend’s older brothers’ flat with a frog in hand. Well, at least it wouldn’t be the first time, although this _was_ the first with a frog. 

It wasn’t really a secret—although no one really gossiped about it, which was kind but made her feel a little out of the loop—that she had spent quite a few nights over this flat over the last several years. Once or twice it had been with Ginny and Neville but more often it was her and George sneaking back up when the flat was empty. Lately, it was less sneaking as more of their friends stopped by the flat when they were looking for her. 

The first morning she spent there Fred had walked into the kitchen to find her drinking tea. He had looked surprised and backed out of the room, leaving Luna to finish her tea in silence. It had been odd and a little uncomfortable so she had brought him some ice cream that afternoon to try to...well, she still didn’t know. She hasn’t been apologizing, but rather...she was easing him into a small change. 

Either the ice cream worked or he got over his surprise because the second time, Fred had acted like normal and the three of them had dragged Lee Jordan out of bed and off into muggle London for breakfast. 

Now it was just something that sometimes happened. Sometimes they talked until morning, other times she simply didn’t want to go back to her own rooms. 

It was nice. It was fun. Luna was rapidly realizing it was getting less and less casual but it was fine and nothing to dwell over. Change happened no matter what, it wasn’t worth it to worry. She didn’t need proclamations or officiations. It was just enough to _be_. 

If the shop and flat were empty, something must have happened. She should floo Ginny or the Burrow or—

There was a sudden clatter in the kitchen and Luna spun around to see George standing in the middle of the room, looking a little shocked save for the pleased grin on his face. Looking, from him to the frog—or, rather, the knocked over carrying container empty on it’s side—realization struck her fast, 

“I didn’t realize you were an animagus. Have I interrupted official Weasley business?” 

George cleared his throat, “I’m not an animagus. Didn’t have the patience for the mandrake leaf. You look like you’ve just come from the swamp yourself.” 

For the first time that day, Luna looked down at her outfit. Frowning, she realized she was covered in mud and not just because she had been splashing through Diagon Alley. She shrugged. “I was helping Neville in some of the greenhouses at Hogwarts. _Purgāte lutum_ .” The mud and water cleaned itself up and she tucked her wand behind her ear.  
  
George twitched his nose and stretched his legs, “Oh so he’s finally succumbed to Pomona’s charms?” 

“He’s agreed to be her assistant and teach a couple lessons to first years this fall.”  
  
“Pomona will have him on staff before Christmas.” Without offering, he turned to the refrigerator and pulled out two drinks, a strawberry cider for himself and Luna’s favorite ginger beer. He magiked the tops off and handed it over to her. 

“Did you hear that Lavender is to be the new Divination Professor.” She asked, taking a sip. It was getting late and although the house elves had made her, Neville, and Pomona lunch, she was starving.

“Is she? Maybe I would have paid more attention in Divination if the professor was half-werewolf and the keeper of all of Hogwarts’ gossip. What’s Sybil up to these days?”

Luna leaned against the counter, “Denis got her a job at the Daily Prophet. She has a column now.” 

“Brilliant. Sorry he got to her before you did.” Luna had never been particularly fond of the way she pretended to prophesize her friends’ deaths so the loss didn’t exactly sting. 

It occurred to Luna that George was avoiding the question at hand. “I hope you’re not planning on giving first years the option of turning into frogs to skip classes. I fear Minerva will be quite cross to see that Trevor has inspired a new wave of runaway amphibians.”

George scowled, “And risk someone’s errant Owl eating a student? No thank you. Can you imagine the ministry banging on the front door demanding an answer for that one?” 

“So, what business do you have with webbed toes?” 

George shrugged, “Don’t worry yourself about it. I was cursed. I have it under control.” 

Luna knew he did not, in fact, have it under control. For one, he didn’t meet her eyes, two he kept trying to tuck his hair behind his missing ear. She didn’t say anything, just took a sip and frowned pointedly at him. Sometimes it was best to let him decide to speak on his own. 

“Dinner?” He asked and it was very nearly frustrating how he was avoiding telling her what had happened. Cused could mean a wild variety of things with him. 

“What about the shop?” 

George's eyes widened ever so slightly to betray the fact he had forgotten that it was currently unattended. That in and of itself worried Luna, he never left the shop unattended, even during the dark and painful days of reopening. Fred had still been in and out of St. Mungos. Charlie had been unconscious but at home, under his mother’s care. Their friends and schoolmates were missing or hurt or dead. George reopened as soon as he could and he was single minded in his determination to stay open. The shop would be there when the world and his family healed. Luna, Ginny and Hermione all spent several busy days over the winter holidays of their joint seventh year running up and down the steps as Fred entertained kids with fireworks and pretended he wasn’t in pain. George had been asleep upstairs when he wasn’t with them. Once he slept for two days out of sheer exhaustion. Lee Jordan, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson had been frequent visitors as well and Oliver Wood had delivered several mail orders. Sometimes he still did when the fancy struck.

Fred had been back in the hospital that first Christmas Eve but he had been home before the family woke up in the morning. Molly had nearly jinxed the both of them when she found out they had gone and not told her. Luna had been there—it had been properly frightening. 

They had all come a long way since then but still, it wasn’t normal for George to forget. 

“We’ll lock up early on our way out.” George looked out the window and Luna followed his glance to see that the rain had stopped. He lifted the bottle to his lips and took two long sips. She mimicked him, he was in a bit of a rush, maybe transfiguring yourself into a frog worked up an appetite? Luna had never tried. 

She still had half her beer to finish so she hopped up onto the kitchen counter and he pushed himself between her legs. She smiled, “I thought you wanted to go to dinner?”

George turned from the window to her, “The rain’s let up. We can take a minute to finish our drinks.” He trailed his fingers up and down the outside of her thighs. Her skirt was pushed high but he was more focused on lazy kisses.

The first time she kissed him she had felt a little odd, a little guilty. She had the most absurd notion that Ginny was going to be upset about it. She actually had been, for a little while when she caught George flirting, but all that vanished when she caught Luna flirting back (they weren’t trying to hide it but...sometimes things went unnoticed). There had been a couple _must you_ ’s and _h_ _im? really_ ’s but if her brother and best friend found their happiness with each other, well, who was she to judge (her exact words after she caught Luna and George coming from the dance floor at her and Harry’s wedding, it had been a lovely night—Luna had been so happy she had cried and so did every single one of Ginny’s brothers). 

Luna was grateful for George’s large family and their many friends but she liked these quiet moments with just the two of them just as much. It was nice in a way she hadn’t really entertained before. 

“I was actually on my way to find you when you found me.” George said as he pulled away to take a sip of cider. “Forgot you weren’t at the office today. Probably would have dried off and became human again before I made it there anyway.” 

“If you would have hopped to the Leaky Cauldron, Hannah would have given you a snack.” 

George lowered his bottle, expression serious, “The thought of facing Trevor intimidated me.” 

Luna smiled, “Oh he’s an ancient thing, what harm could he have done?”

“Enough.” George frowned, finishing his drink. Luna leaned up and kissed him. “Okay. Let’s go. Fancy trying whatever your landlady has concocted this week?”

“Oh, yes. Hannah was talking about squashes this morning.” Luna tilted her drink back as well and let George help her hop off the counter. She fixed her skirt and then they were off. 

About halfway to the Leaky Cauldron, which was only a handful of blocks on a good day, the sky started to grey and George tried to pick up the pace. Luna hurried next to him but they were only two against the elements. 

A drop fell on the cobblestones in front of them and George tugged her with him under the awning of Suthmeer’s Pharmagics. They were closed every other day, sometimes every two days near the full moon, and today the shop was empty and they could shelter in peace. 

“Is there a reason you can’t magic the rain away or transfigure—“ Luna glanced around the street and gestured to a stack of wooden crates outside an still-empty storefront, “any of them? Or have your amphibian tendencies addled your magic?”

“Maybe I’m just in no rush?” George’s voice was a little odd and that did it, she was going to get to the bottom of this curse one way or another. 

Luna looked around him to the street, “In a moment or two, I’ll be the only one eating Hannah’s cooking.Do you think it’s very difficult to catch a fly? What do they taste like? I‘ve always wondered.”

George laughed and stepped closer, Luna pursed her lips to try to hide her smile but the laughter in her eyes betrayed her. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. For being frog-cursed, he was certainly in a good mood. 

Rain sounded farther down the street and Luna hummed into the kiss. It was a shame she wasn’t a princess, if she was they could try the old royalty failsafe. 

Without breaking the kiss, George turned them around and stepped back so that he was safe beneath the awning. A couple of raindrops hit the back of Luna’s legs. She stood on her toes, kissing him harder. 

When he was suitably distracted and she was a little dazed herself, she grabbed his arms and twisted them back around, dragging him into the rain. 

Water hit her arms, he gave a tiny cry of protest and then he was an amphibian. 

Luna crouched down and picked George up, “Really. I’m taking you to Fred right now.”   
  


* * *

  
Fred had a permanent limp, scars across the side of his face, neck and shoulder and something wrong with his magic that no one had quite been able to figure out yet. It wasn’t anything major but he sometimes wobbled with apparition and simple spells sometimes left him winded. Neither of these things stopped him in the slightest and he had yet to splinch himself. Besides the dizzy spell passed within minutes, at most an hour, and he continued on like nothing was the matter. George and Arthur were the most concerned over it, Molly was still too overjoyed to have her son with her to be concerned about hiccups in his magic. May ‘98 had been a terrible month for the Weasleys, for the wizarding world in general. It was best to focus on the future. 

He was currently on a date, but they had finished eating and both looked pleased when she came to stand next to them at the bar. 

“That Trevor’s son.” Fred said like she hadn’t just used a tracking charm to interrupt his date. Lee Jordan waved to her and she waved back, balancing George on one hand, trusting him to not try to make a run for it. She’d hate to lose him in some dark corner of the pub until he dried off. 

“No, just your brother.” She shrugged. The rain clung to her skin, chilling her. 

Fred and Lee exchanged glances and then Lee looked over to them, “Hello, George, like the new look.”

George made a noise Luna didn’t think frogs were capable of, something between a croak and a choke. She liked Lee, he was funny and generous and once the two of them went out to breakfast before George and Fred woke up. It had been nice, she had just gotten back from Greenland and they had talked for so long that by the time they figured they should head back, the shop was already open and Fred loudly proclaimed that he was worried they had run off together. 

Lee got to his feet, reaching into his pocket to pull out his wallet. “I'll take that as my cue to get out of here. I’ll pay the tab, you focus on getting the mucus off your brother.” Fred scrunched up his nose in disgust. Lee kissed him quickly, before kissing Luna on the cheek. “Always a pleasure to see you, Luna. I was going to see about getting tickets to a comedy show sometime next week, should I get tickets for you and George as well?” The way Lee said comedy made it clear he didn’t think it was going to be any funnier than a night in but part of the fun of going was watching the three of them make faces at each other during jokes they didn’t quite like. It was a bit rude but he was right, Luna laughed harder with them then at any of the shows. 

“That will be lovely, although if it’s raining like it is today he might not need one.” 

George ribbited, puffing out and then looked rather alarmed by the experience. 

Lee glanced at him before turning to Luna with a wide grin, “I have no idea what that means but I can’t wait to find out. We’ll talk soon, when I’m not rapidly becoming late for work?”

“Of course.” Luna smiled and he was off. Fred finished his last bite of dessert and stood. 

“Alright, Lovegood, what did the pair of you do now?” 

Luna held George up in front of her, “I found him like this but once he dries off a bit he’ll be able to tell you himself.”

“Did you try _rĕpĕtĕ essecorpŭs_?” Fred bopped George on the head with his wand but all it managed to do was make him croak in alarm. Fred laughed even as he frowned and took his napkin and put it overtop of George like they were about to attempt a muggle vanishing illusion. Luna looked around and then walked him over to an empty corner of the pub. It was Wednesday-ish and quiet. She gently dabbed at him with the napkins although she was fairly certain it wasn’t doing anything. Suddenly, she was no longer holding a frog in her hand. 

George stood there, looking cross and put upon. The napkin fluttered to the ground in front of him and the bartender glanced over but no one else. Fred stood in front of them, silent for approximately ten solid seconds before he burst out laughing. George’s frown deepened and he said nothing. Luna waited until Fred was able to compose himself before she spoke, “He was cursed and we need your help.” 

“You don’t need my help. You need Bill’s.” Fred grinned.

George scowled. Fred’s unwillingness to try to help led Luna to believe that he just wanted to show as many people as possible the predicament his brother had gotten himself into. Luna wasn’t going to complain, she adored Shell Cottage. There were sad memories attached to the home, but there were sweeter ones that made it comforting. There were days spent at the beach, Quidditch games in the sand, babysitting the two oldest Weasley grandchildren with Ginny and Neville. George went as far as the doorway before apparating away. Luna and Fred shared one momentary glance before they followed after him.   
  


* * *

  
Luna’s feet splashed down into a puddle. A storm blew her hair around her face and next to her, George vanished instantly. She ignored the rain pelting her skin and knelt down to pick George up before he buried himself in the sand. Fred looked at him from the corner of his eye, one hand up to shield his eyes from the rain. George let out a croak that sounded a little like a scream over the howling of the wind. Fred completely lost his composure, howling with laughter. Luna pressed her lips together, trying to be polite given George’s present circumstances, but it had been an extremely alarming noise. 

Luna led the way to the cottage, George in hand, Fred trailing behind. He was doing a decent job at keeping quiet and by the time they reached the front door, he was only grinning. 

Fleur opened it on the first knock. 

“Fred Weasley, Luna Lovegood and...a frog.” Fleur said in lieu of a greeting. At _a frog,_ Fred laughed. 

“Fleur this frog is your brother-in-law.” 

Fleur looked to George, Fred, and then Luna. “The only reason I’m letting them in is because you’re here.” 

“Thank you.” Luna smiled and Fleur returned it, “Once he’s dried off, he’ll be back to normal again.” 

They stepped into the cottage and shut the door behind them. Instantly Fred took his wand out and tapped George on the head again, “ _desinisranam rĕpĕtĕcorpŭs_.”

Fleur turned as and grabbed her wand from the table. She cast a drying charm over the three of them before they could track sand and water into the kitchen. George was suddenly in front of her, his back inches from her face. She took a step to the left as he took one to the right. “I have this under control.” George frowned which caused Fred to snicker.

“For a moment I thought you married a frog.” Fleur said completely without a smile. Fred put his hands on his hips and frowned. 

“Is that Fred and George?” Ron called from the living room. 

“Brilliant.” George sighed. Whatever this curse was, he was certainly put upon by it. Fred was the antithesis of his brother and he bounded into the living room. Luna, George and Fleur trailed after him. Fred leaned on the couch next to Ron. James and Harry were there too. Harry had been laying flat on his back on the floor but he pushed himself up at their arrival. 

“Luna!” Harry beamed, although he looked half asleep. “Gin’s at practice.” 

“Oh,” Luna smiled, “Hello Harry, Ron, James.” 

Ron looked up grinning, his nephew was asleep on his lap. The tiny Potter, already three months old, was making more house calls than most well-connected adults. Between his auror father and Quidditch star mother, there was hardly a witch or wizard in the UK who didn’t want to offer their congratulations or comment on his tiny toes (Luna refrained from it herself in case James grew offended or decided to focus his growing on that area alone). Harry and Ginny only brought him around to their friend’s homes but still, they had a large family and an even larger group of friends. 

Seeing as Bill and Fleur were the only ones with children at the present moment, the Potters tended to call on the eldest Weasley sibling the most. It probably shouldn’t have been a surprise to see them here. Once a big brother, always a big brother, especially when you knew how to break curses and calm a fussy infant with the same proficiency. 

“Where are the other two?” Fred asked, putting his hands on his hips again and raising his voice. George recently had been made to enforce bedtime so Fred was currently Victoire and Dominique's favorite. He was very proud of this. 

At the sound of his voice, there was a great thundering of feet on the steps. Victoire was first, flinging herself across the room to be scooped up by her uncle. Dominique trailed behind, she was smaller so she had to concentrate on every step as she approached it. Bill followed behind her, scooping her up before she could reach the bottom. She paid him no mind, her gaze was instead on her uncles and Luna. 

“What’s going on?” Bill asked, settling her on his hip.

Fred lifted Victoire up and they flopped onto the couch next to Ron and James. “Whenever Georgie gets rained on, he’s transfigured into a frog.”

“Um.” Bill said, “Okay. What did you do?”

“Seriously?” Harry piped up, looking awake for the first time. Luna nodded and he shook his head in pleased disbelief. 

“I mean do you want a demonstration or—“ George began sarcastically and then immediately regretted it when Harry, Ron and Victoire all chimed _yes_. 

Bill put his hand up to silence them, “Wait, before we demonstrate it. What did you do?” 

“Nothing? Okay so I might have...been…anyway there was this arrow and I might have cut myself on it and—“

Fleur put her hand up to silence him. Luna loved seeing the little habits they picked up from one another and this one they had learned from Madame Delacour. “Don’t bother omitting details there is no one here whose opinion of you could be changed by anything you do at this point.” 

George put a hand on his chest and adopted a wounded expression. 

Fleur smiled and her fondness won out over her mock glare, “Where were you?”

“Doesn’t matter. I bumped into an arrow and it cursed me.” 

“Did you bring it with you?” Ron asked.

“Of course not. What kind of person brings a cursed object back with them.” George shrugged, he was acting cagey which was odd. 

“Usually, one who was cursed by it.” Luna frowned and George sent her a glance that let her know he wasn’t amused by her siding with his family. 

Bill got up, grabbed George by the arm and dragged him out the front door. He came back in alone. Luna thought about going to fetch him but Bill would never put him in harm's way. 

A couple of silent moments later, George hopped himself back inside. 

“You’re hopping has improved.” Luna said right before he forgot how to work his legs and went lopsided. Ron and Fred laughed, Harry frowned in alarm, and Bill did nothing to hide his grin. 

“ _Siccāte celeritèr_ ,” he said and George was human again. Victoire jumped off the couch. 

“Oh that’s brilliant. Teach me!” Victoire demanded of George who glanced down at her, considering. 

“Don’t you dare.” Bill warned and Victoire stomped her foot. 

Dominique made her way over to them, gave George’s leg a quick hug, but before he could bend down to say hello, she trotted over to Luna and held up her arms. Luna picked her up, settling her on her hip. Dominique put her head down on her shoulder, content. George put his hands on his hips, “I was at Madam Balderic’s Better Books in Blantyre. In one of those creepy back rooms that don’t exist on Sundays. It was stuffed in a Isopod Magizoology, Zoology and Other textbook. It was the _and Other_ that made me pick it up. It was small and I cut my arm before I even noticed it.” 

“Do you have the book?” Fleur asked because taking the book but leaving the arrow was something he would do. Luna _would_ like to read it. 

“Couldn’t get my wand out in the cramped back—“

“First time you had trouble with that?” Fred said in a serious tone that made both Harry and Ron snicker. 

George continued like he hadn’t heard them, “—and when I went to go back into the room, the door was gone. So it wasn’t for a lack of trying.” 

Bill shut his eyes for a moment before asking, “What did this cursed arrow bookmark that you cut yourself with and didn’t think to tell anyone about look like?”

“The arrowhead was chalky, vaguely disintegrating. The plume was made of butterfly wings. There was something carved on the shaft, Greek or Russian?” 

Bill frowned, “Butterfly wings?” 

George shrugged. It sounded pretty, or maybe macabre. 

Bill turned and went upstairs and George looked to Luna, “Oh good. He knows the arrow.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing.” Ron frowned, passing James to Fleur and twisting around on the couch to look at them. 

“It’s a good thing because it means we’ll know what we’re dealing with.” Fleur told him sternly, as if saying it would make it so. Dominique squirmed so Luna put her down and she went over to her mother so she could smile at her cousin. 

Harry laid back down on his back, “What if it’s famous for being impossible to break?” 

“There are worse things to be than a frog.” Luna pronounced and Bill came back down the stairs. 

“Anteros. Toû bélous Anteros ” He announced and Luna had no idea what he was talking about. Luckily for them, his wife did. 

“Oh—the Greek god of requited love.” She said, putting a hand on her hip and looking at George, considering. Ron, Fred, and Harry all let out _aww_ ’s at this. 

“Why would the god of requited love curse me? He jealous?” George scrunched up his nose theatrically. 

Luna noticed he very pointedly did not look at her. She frowned, _peculiar_. 

Bill glanced to his brother and then to Luna and then quickly back to George, “Maybe—there’s something you’re not saying.” 

“I told you everything—“ George began, offended. 

“No—about—well. It says sometimes he would get revenge on people who scorn love and avenge unrequited love.” 

“Sounds to me you just need to tell someone the truth.” Harry said to the ceiling, sharply but not altogether unkindly.

“I tell nothing but the truth, Daddy Potter.” 

Harry made a face and threw his hand out to the side in frustration. George smiled. 

“Oh.” Luna gasped, quietly, realizing several things at once. She inhaled, and held her breath, drawing herself up into a picture of unaffected. She slowly let her breath go, conscious of the eyes on her. 

“Are we—sure about that—” Harry said, sudden and loud, drawing everyone’s attention to him and not her. 

“About what?” Ron asked. “If George only tells the truth? Because I don’t think he’s said more than ten truthful things in his life.” Harry was momentarily panicked over what to say. He was dreadfully kind but Luna knew how to accept that she was mistaken. George was a dear friend and that would never change. 

“No it’s okay. It’s simple really, you just have to go to whoever it is and tell them that you love them.” Luna sounded calmer than she was. She felt _quite_ silly. She had spent the last several months believing that he was in love with _her_ and she him and that they both knew this. Her father did sometimes say she skipped a couple steps in conversations. 

George looked like he was in on a joke she wasn’t and felt sick about it. Fred stared off into the middleground. Fleur and Ron both frowned pointedly. Harry and Bill glanced to each other and then back to her. Bill went to say something but George interrupted him. “Oh, do you think it’s that easy?” For a second, Luna thought he was cross but he questions was directed to Bill. 

Bill nodded, “It’s at least worth a shot, if we’re right and it’s really the toû bélous Anteros.”

“I hate the tone you’re using to say I was struck by Cupid‘s arrow. I don’t see what turning into a frog has to do with any of this.” In the corner of her eye, she could see Fred and Ron having some sort of quiet argument. 

“That’s the only thing giving me pause.” Bill looked like he had other ideas but whatever they were he was keeping them to himself for now. 

As far as curses went, this was a manageable one. Luna had meant what she said. One could probably get used to turning into a frog. 

George shrugged, “Fine. We’ll try it. Even if I don’t really believe you.”

“We’ll leave you the room then.” Fred said, pushing himself up and dragging both Harry and Ron to their feet. Luna started to stand as well but Fred sent her an exasperated glance that made her immobile. That was curious. Oh—but maybe someone should stay behind and make sure nothing happened? She was the one least likely to tease him for falling in love out of the present company.

Ron ducked back at the last second, stepping over Victoire who was _not_ happy at being led away, and pulled Luna aside, “It’s okay.” He said quite seriously, “I’ve come to terms with it and I’ve accepted it.” 

“Oh, that’s...very good?” Luna asked, she had to admit she was a little lost. But it was a good thing that Ron had accepted...whatever it was he was referring to. That his brother had broken her heart? Well, no, that was entirely too dramatic. She was spending too much time with Ginny’s teammates. 

After Ron nodded and went to scoop Dominique up into his arms, Luna turned to George who looked like he just swallowed a fly. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. It’s true I’m a little upset I misread our relationship but please don’t pay it any mind. It’s my problem to work through and I will.” 

“I—” George began and then her words seemed to catch up with him because he came to a stop and tilted his head slightly to the right, “What?” 

Luna watched the confusion on his face for a long moment but she didn’t speak. It was more important for George to speak right now. They were on different pages, maybe talking about different things and she’d sit here and listen until she understood what was going on in his mind. 

“How did you misread—Luna did you think I was sleeping with you while in love with someone else?” 

“Truthfully, I didn’t think so but there’s nothing wrong with it. I had fun and now you just have to tell whoever the other person is the truth and then you can face the rain again.” 

“That’s what I’m trying to do.” George said, huffing a little. He looked over his shoulder to where his brothers and sister were just out of sight. It was nice of them to be pretending not to listen. "I'm starting to think they might have been right and I hate it." 

“Go? Then?” Luna asked and George stayed on the couch, looking at her like she was frustrating and endearing at once. She blinked and shook her head a little to clear her mind. “We are on different pages. Tell me what it is that I’m missing.” 

“I’m not in love with anyone else. Actually—who else _is_ there? If there was someone else you would know them. Who do you think it is? Wood? Zahra? Katie? There is no one else.” 

That wasn’t quite right because the curse would only have latched onto him if he was keeping his love for someone a secret and—

Luna looked up to him, suddenly realizing she had been acting quite ridiculous. Ron had accepted and come to terms that another one of his siblings had fallen in love with one of his friends. Of course, how could she have been so oblivious? “Well.” Luna said, looking at George who wasn’t quite fidgeting but he was certainly overthinking things. This wasn’t like either one of them and she almost wished they didn’t have quite a large audience. It must be the weather or perhaps a hinkypunk was nearby. 

“Well?” George grinned. 

“ _Well_ do you want to turn into a frog every time it rains or do you want to tell me?” 

George smiled and Luna found her lips echoing it, “Oh, I’m in love with you.” 

He said it very nonchalantly and sort of shrugged as he spoke and that felt very right. It had been a couple years of kisses under the mistletoe at Christmas, going back to his place or hers after a night out. Sometimes he’d bring ice cream to her office or happen to be in the area when she was on location even when that meant meandering to the Canadian wilderness.

“Did it work?” She asked. 

“I think so. I do suddenly feel distinctly unamphibious.” George stretched out his hands in front of him, Luna looked to the window and George sighed, “Okay. Come on.” He turned and walked out the door without waiting for her. 

She didn’t think she really needed proof but the confirmation would settle the butterflies in her stomach. George opened the front door, the waves were crashing against the shoreline now and Luna wondered if Fleur would make some hot chocolate if she asked nicely. Stepping outside, George put his arms out to his side as he slowly spun around. It was altogether very dramatic. But he continued to spin around in the rain without turning into a frog. 

“Oh.” Luna said, laughing a little. She glanced over her shoulder to where Ron, Harry, Fred and Bill were watching the pair of them. Victoire slipped between her Uncle’s legs a moment later, laughing and running towards the front door. Fleur sighed from somewhere behind them and then she swore loudly. 

Dominique was right behind her older sister and Fleur rounded the corner, hands on her hips. She watched Victoire jump into the nearest puddle laughing wildly with Dominique right behind her. She sighed and walked around the rest of them. 

Fleur came outside, splashing George as she stomped in a puddle. He cried out and ducked around Luna. “Coward!” Fleur hissed, stepping forward to go around Luna and grab George from behind. 

“No!” George cried out, pulling Luna in front of him again, in between him and Fleur. 

“Auntie Luna!” Victoire called, completely soaking wet in the summer storm. Dominique was jumping up and down in a shallow puddle. There was a more impressive one next to her and Luna ducked out from under George’s arms. He cried out in outrage when Fleur magicked the rain into a ball of water and then dumped it over his head.

Luna ignored them both to grab Dominique’s hand. “You’ll make a bigger splash over here.” 

She glanced back inside but Fred was holding James now and Harry and Bill were distracted. Ron was gone but she could see someone moving around in the kitchen. Suddenly, thunder rolled around then and she laughed. 

“Okay. Let's get back inside. We’re not getting struck by lightning today.” Fleur said mostly to George. 

“ _Maman_.” Victoire sighed like it was a grave inconvenience to her. 

“Uncle Ron might make us something to drink if we ask very nicely,” Luna smiled. Victoire gasped and ran inside. Fred caught her with a drying jinx on her way in and she didn’t even pause on her sprint into the kitchen. Luna and Fleur shared a glance and then they headed in with Dominique. 

George was behind them and he took Luna’s hand as she took her wand out. 

“Stătim arida.” She said and waved her wand over all four of them. 

George kissed the top of her head. “Love you.” He reminded her pointedly and she smiled. Standing in the middle of everyone reminded her very much of when she was a little girl, running about with her mother and father. 

“Luna.” Ron said, handing her a cup of cocoa. “I don’t want to put you on the spot and it’s not my place to say—“

“When has that stopped you.” George and Harry sighed together and then shared an amused glance. 

She picked up his trail immediately and turned to George who looked like he was unsure but knew he shouldn’t be, “Oh, well, yes. Of course I love you as well. I thought you knew, that's why I was so confused. I thought we both already knew. I care a great deal for all of you, you know.” 

“But I’m your favorite!” Victoire smiled up at her. 

“I don’t have favorites.” Luna told her so but Victoire had recently realized the power of calling her various aunts and uncles her favorite and she crossed her arms over her chest. 

“That sounds like Uncle George is your favorite and you’re trying to be nice.” Her voice took on a whiny tone over _trying_ and Luna smiled. She pointed to the braided shell bracelet she always wore on her ankle and Victoire echoed the motion, showing off her anklet as well. She shot Luna a sly smile that she couldn’t help but return. 

“Cocoa?” Ron asked and Victoire spun and darted into the kitchen ahead of him. He hissed a warning as he followed her. 

Harry smiled, “we love you too Luna.” 

George went to hit him but he sidestepped it, laughing. “Get out of here. We need a minute.” 

Harry shook his head and knelt down to talk to Dominique. 

“Do you feel like we were being quite ridiculous?” George asked, putting his arm around her waist and tugging her close. Bill and Fleur were talking nearby but they were politely ignoring them. 

She spun around in his arms, wrapping her arms around him and latching her fingers together behind his back. “I want to say no but the intervention of an ancient Greek deity begs me to reconsider.”

“I rather think we would have gotten there eventually.” George’s voice was lofty and Harry rolled his eyes as he took Dominique into the kitchen. 

Luna smiled at his back, “Sooner rather than later, I agree.” 

“Oi, Georgie do you think that you could get back into that back room—I want to stab Ron.” Fred called from somewhere around them. Luna glanced around but he was nowhere to be seen. No one else looked alarmed so it was possible she had misplaced him and his magic hadn’t turned him invisible. Fred being invisible was infinitely worse than George being amphibious. George gave her another kiss on the forehead and then he shot off towards the study. 

Luna turned to head into the kitchen but Fleur cut her off, “You alright?” 

“Yes. My thoughts were just a little jumbled but we’ve resolved that.” 

“I have never seen you so confused before.” Bill said, coming to stand next to his wife. “I think I would have gone off to the bookshop myself to find the arrow if it hadn’t been broken so easily.” 

“Turning into a frog isn’t the worst thing. And it wasn’t like it was news to either of us that we have romantic intentions for each other.” 

“I would have hexed George to the riviera and back if he had not told you how he felt. Knowing and confirming are two different things.” Fleur said quietly. 

“Well, it is nice, I have to admit.” 

There was a crash from somewhere behind then and Fleur sighed, “I’ll go see what they’re up to. I promise I won’t hex George for your sake.”

“If he deserves it, he deserves it.” Luna joked and Bill laughed, putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her into the kitchen. Ron had already slipped out the other doorway leading to the living room and he was probably with his brothers and Fleur. Victoire was at the table, sipping cocoa. 

“Are you hungry? I think Harry promised to cook dinner.” Bill spoke loudly so Harry could hear him. 

“Victoire and I will help of course.” Luna said and Victoire looked up in a way that made Luna instantly regret offering. Oh well, there were three adults in the room, they could keep an eye on her. 

“Crepes?” Victoire asked, beaming up at her father. 

Bill looked from Harry to Luna, “I don’t care what you make, sweet.” 

“I don’t know—“ Harry began but Victoire shook her head. 

“I know how!” 

Luna smiled and walked over to the cabinet, “what do you need?” 

Fleur, Fred, Ron and George were laughing in the other room, while Harry and Victoire started digging around for a pan and Dominique was babbling to Bill about something undoubtedly important. 

Rain continued to fall outside. She could just make out the waves in the distance when she looked out the kitchen window. Victoire called out ingredients—Luna knew some of them weren’t right but she absolutely wanted to see where this went. As she gathered up the flour and baking powder and espresso beans, she let herself get lost in the laughter of her friends and now non-amphibious love, and the rain.

**Author's Note:**

> I have one goal in HP fics and that is to demonstrate how I learned absolutely nothing in high school Latin despite my Best Attempts. Below please find my reasonings for the spells in this fic:  
> [1] _siccāte celeritèr_ \- “ _dry quickly_ ”  
> [2] _desinis esseranam_ \- “ _stop being a frog_ ” I combined being and frog because I think I’m funny.  
> [3] _purgāte lutum_ \- “ _wash away dirt_ ”  
> [4] _rĕpĕtĕ essecorpŭs_ \- “ _return to being a human_ ”  
> [5] _desinisranam rĕpĕtĕcorpŭs_ \- literally “ _stop frog return to human_ ” I don’t want to alarm anyone but Fred is very close to creating a spell here.


End file.
